Double deck coach



y 1934- A. w. CLEV ELAND 1,958,234

DOUBLE DECK COACH I Filed Jan. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l mew/C 44;

. V ARTHUR W.CEVA D y 1934- A. w. CLEVELAND 1,958,234

DOUBLE DECK COACH Filed Jan. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 9 gwuc/rvbom ART/IVA W. 04 6 V4 AND y 1934- A. w. CLEVELAND 1,958,234

DOUBLE DECK COACH Fil-ed Jan. 22. 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 3mm ART/10 W. CLEVL 6 0 wg M f. law 04 1 May 8, 1934 A. w. CLEVELAND DOUBLE DECK COACH Filed Jan. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VMIII/IIIII/ Patented May 8, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a coach and more specifically to a coach of the double-deck type.

One of the objects of the present invention 5 is to provide a double deck coach having a lower and an upper deck which may be loaded and unloaded from the same entrance.

A still further important object of the inventionis to provide in a double deck coach having upper and lower decks, a movable stairway for loading the upper deck which is pivotally mounted to the end that it may be moved into loading position when desired and moved to an inoperative position out of the way of the driver and the occupants upon the completion of the loading of the upper deck.

A still further important attribute of the invention is to provide in a coach of the class described an upper deck constructed with movable cat walks which are controlled by the driver of the coach and adapted to be raised to permit of the walking of the conductor or the like between the upper deck to enable him to collect the fares with facility.

A still further important attribute of the invention will be found to reside in the manner in which the cat walks are positioned so that when they are not in use they perform the function of retaining walls.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a coach of the class described which is only slightly higher than the ordinary single deck coach. and which by virtue of the movable stairway, and the cat walks permits of more than double the seating capacity of a single deck coach. and at the same time provides a structure which is only slightly larger than the usual single deck coaches, and does not have the disadvantage of being top-heavy as is the case in most double deck coaches.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation view partly in section of the coach or bus, showing the pivotally mounted and swingable stairway in position for loading the upper deck.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the stairway in its inoperative, out-of-the-way position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of Figure 1 taken on line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of Figure 3, taken on line 4-4 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of Figure 2, taken on line 55 thereof, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of Figure 5, taken on line 66 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of Figure 1 taken on line 7'7 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the cat walks in raised position in which they act as retaining walls,

Figure 9 is a detail view illustrating the manner in which the cat walks are secured to the upstanding support,

Figure 10 is a detail side elevational view of Figure 9, and

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional View of Figure 9 taken on line 11-11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 12 generally designates the body of a motor vehicle coach which is of general rectangular shape. In the usual manner, a seat 14 is provided in the front and on the left side of the body of the coach for the driver. In the right side of the coach directly opposite the drivers seat, there is provided an opening or entrance 16 having a folding door 18 secured to one side thereof for closing the opening. The body is provided with a longitudinally extending lower deck 20 which is spaced from the bottom 22 and in the lower portion of the sides of the body there are provided a plurality of spaced windows 24. Opposite each window as clearly shown in Figure 1, in the usual manner, there are provided on each side of the body, spaced seats 26. As clearly illustrated, the seats, which may be of any type desired, are arranged opposite the window on each side of the bus providing a passage-way therebetween so that the passengers may comfortably enter and exit the bus through the doorway.

At substantially the mid-point of the sides of the body there are securely fastened upper decks 32. The deck 32 on the left side of the coach extends throughout the entire length of the body, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, while the opposite upper deck 32 on the right hand side of the body terminates adjacent the door 18. The upper decks 32 are spaced providing a runway therebetween and the inner sides are secured to the spaced, upstanding hollow column or posts 40.

In the same manner as described with respect to the lower deck, there are provided adjacent the windows 42 in the upper portion of the sides of the body, seats 4.4 which are secured to the upper decks.

Each post or column below the inner edge of the decks 32 are provided with integral laterally extending transversely apertured lugs or ears 48 on each side of which by means of the bolts 50 are pivotally mounted the triangular shaped cleats 46. At substantially the apex of each cleat there is secured the ends of the transversely extending stop rods 47 which abut the outer sides of the posts and hold each pair of the cleats in their lower position at right angles to the posts.

On the other ends of each of the cleats there is pivotally mounted by means of the bolts 52, a cat walk 54. Adjacent the outer edge of each of the walks there isprovided an apertured ear 56 on the underneath side thereof into which the laterally extending arm 58 of the rod 60 connected to the piston 62 in the cylindrical post 40 is pivotally mounted. The arms 58 extend through the longitudinally extending slots 53 in the posts.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 11, air or other fluid is conducted through the medium of the conduits 64 in the cylindrical posts 40 on the underneath side of the cylinders 62 and upon actuation of the valve control 66, air or other fluid is directed beneath the cylinders 62 causing them to move upwardly in the posts raising the cat walks 54 until the cat walks and the cleats 46 assume the position shown in the dotted line in Figure 11. It is to be noted in this connection that the width of the cleats 46 are such that their inner edges abut to the end that in the downwardly walking position thereof the space between the upstanding posts and consequently the upper decks 32, is completely filled, thereby providing ample walking surface for the passengers of the upper deck to permit them to take their seats and exit with facility.

The cat walk 54 adjacent the left hand upper deck 32 extends throughout the length of this deck and is supported on the front end by means of the support secured to the underneath side of the deck 32.

Adjacent the front of the body and pivotally mounted in the lower deck is a U-shaped support 74. The lower portion of the forward side 76 of a stairway 78 is pivotally mounted by means of a bolt 80 in the support 74. The stairway in the usual manner is provided with spaced steps, and to the inner upper portion of the forward side 76, there is secured an eye-bolt 84 to which there is fastened one end of a rope 86 or the like. To the other end of the rope there is secured a counter-weight 90 which is slidable in an upstanding cylindrical post 92. In the operative loading position of the stairway the upper edge thereof is adapted to abut the inner forward edge of the left-hand cat-walk when of course, the cat-walks are in their operative lower position.

Normally, the stairway is in the position illustrated in Figure 6, that is, adjacent the forward portion of the body of the bus, and the cat walks are in their upper positions permitting the passengers to walk between the upper decks and obtain their seats on the lower deck. Also, it is to be noted that this permits of a free passage of a conductor between the upper and lower decks enabling him to collect fares from passengers sitting on the upper deck, with facility.

When it is desired to permit passengers to obtain seats on the upper deck it is only necessary for the operator of the coach to actuate the valve 66 causing the cat walks to assume their downward operative positions and to pull the stairway until it assumes the position illustrated in Figure 3, that is, with the upper edge portion abutting the inner forward edge of the lefthand cat walk. The passengers may then enter the door of the coach, walk up the stairway onto the cat walks and obtain the seats.

As soon as the passengers have seated themselves on the upper decks the operator of the coach may simply push the stairway forward and the counter-weight will cause it to assume its vertical inoperative position adjacent the forward wall of the bus. By operating the valve, the cat walks will be raised to their vertical, inoperative positions to the end that the conductor may walk on the lower deck between the upper deck and collect the fares of the passengers which are seated on the lower deck as well as the upper deck. It is to be noted in this connection that the cat walks when positioned in their inoperative, upper positions have a twofold purpose; namely, not only of permitting of the walking of a conductor or a passenger on' the lower deck, but also the added function of forming a guard or retaining wall on each of the inner sides of the upper decks, thereby preventing passengers seated on the seats on the upper deck from falling into the aisle.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a coach which is slightly larger than the usual sin gle deck coaches and which by virtue of the specific construction of the upper decks and the cat walks therebetween, as well as the stairway providing for an entrance of the passengers to the upper deck substantially twice as many passengers may be carried. Furthermore, by this specific construction the passengers on the upper deck may ride inside with comfort, as distinguished from the type of coaches now employing upper decks on the outside of the top thereof. The center of gravity of the coach is considerably lower than the center of gravity of the usual double deck coaches or buses thereby overcoming the dangerous top-heaviness which is presented in these types of buses.

While there is shown for the purpose of illustration only one preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof and it is intended therefore that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the prior art or in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a coach of the class described, a lower deck having spaced rows of seats secured thereto, longitudinally extending upper decks secured to the sides of said coach and having an aisle therebetween, pivotally mounted cat walks adjacent the inner sides of said upper decks, and means for raising and lowering said cat walks.

2. In a coach of the class described, a lower deck, oppositely disposed spaced longitudinally extending upper decks secured to the sides of said coach above said lower deck, pivotally mounted longitudinally extending walking platforms adjacent the inner sides of each of said upper decks adapted to be raised to a vertical position adjacent the inner side and above each upper deck to form guard rails, and means for effecting the raising and lowering of said platforms.

3. In a coach of the class described, a lower deck, oppositely disposed spaced longitudinally extending upper decks secured to the sides of said coach above the lower deck, pivotally mounted longitudinally extending walking platforms adjacent the inner edge of each upper deck adapted to be raised to a vertical position adjacent the inner edge and above each upper deck to form guard rails, means for effecting the raising and lowering of said walking platforms, and a pivotally and swingably mounted stairway adapted to be moved adjacent one of the walking platforms, and means normally holding said stairway in an upright position spaced from the platforms.

4. In a coach of the class described, a lower deck, oppositely disposed spaced longitudinally extending upper decks secured to the sides of said coach above said lower deck, spaced seats on said upper and lower decks, a pivotally mounted and foldable longitudinally extending walking platform adjacent the inner sides of each of said upper decks adapted to be raised to a vertical position adjacent the inner side and above each upper deck to form guard rails, means for raising and lowering said platforms, and a pivotally and swingably mounted stairway opposite the drivers seat and door of said coach adapted to be manually moved by the operator of the bus to a position adjacent one of the Walking platforms for loading the upper decks, and when not in use to be moved to a vertical position spaced from the platforms, and means for holding said stairway in said vertical position.

ARTHUR W. CLEVELAND. 

